once upon a yesterday
by lydiamaartin
Summary: Love is more than butterflies in your stomach or an accelerated heartbeat. Love is everything, and this is theirs. Percy and Annabeth, past, present, and future. - PercyAnnabeth drabbles - SoN spoilers - Complete!
1. river

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own ideas. Not even the title - belongs to the brilliant brain of my amazing friend Bri (swirling-summernotes)  
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**Set after Son of Neptune, so expect major spoilers if you haven't read the book. My response to that horrid cliffhanger. Don't worry, I'll also be posting the actual reunion that occurred before this in future drabbles :)**

** **I am planning more chapters, not necessarily all post-SoN - I may go back in time to the PJO era, depending on how my muse feels. Just to give you an idea of what's coming :)**  
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><p>She finds him in the river. Naturally.<p>

He's swimming – _just_ swimming, the way he does when something major has happened and all he wants to do is relax. So he floats in the nearest body of water – usually the Camp Half-Blood lake, but this time, the Camp Jupiter river – and aimlessly swims around until someone finds him.

Usually, it's her. Annabeth's glad to see at least some things never change.

She doesn't call him out of the water. When he's ready, he'll resurface. Until then, she just removes her shoes and sinks her feet into the refreshingly cool water, uncaring of the effect that'll have on her jeans. Denim getting soaked is hardly the most important of her problems, after all.

It doesn't take him too long to come up. Maybe he was waiting for her. Or maybe he just needs to talk after the whirlwind day they've had today, from the kiss in front of the ship to the introductions to the near-murder of Octavian by Rachel…it's been a long day.

He doesn't say anything at first, just looks at her, like he's drinking in the image of her just sitting there in front of him. She's probably doing the same thing, she knows. It's hard to process that he's _here_, he's _alive_, and he's still Percy. Her Percy.

Finally, she speaks, unable to stand the silence and wanting nothing more than to talk to him. "Hey, Seaweed Brain."

Percy blinks, then shakes his head, spraying water everywhere. And then he smiles, and it's just about the most butterfly-inducing thing she's ever seen.

"Hey, Wise Girl," he retorts, as easily as if this was just another day at Camp Half-Blood and they'd spent the last nine months together, the way they _should_ have.

Annabeth swallows hard, trying not to think of the pain that had plagued her for the entirety of his disappearance. "I missed you," she manages to choke out.

In a flash, Percy's hoisted himself out of the river and practically tackled her in a soaking wet hug. Annabeth laughs from the surprise, falling over on her back with Percy on top of her, still wet with river water and still deliciously shirtless, his arms cold but comforting against her sides where he's braced them.

"I missed you, too," he murmurs before finding her lips and silencing any stray thoughts that might have wandered into her head because all she can focus on right now is _PercyPercyPercy_ and how good his bare skin feels under her hands and how she'd forgotten how amazing his kisses are and how he tastes like spearmint and how the sensation of his hands on her body fills her with unimaginable heat.

They've got a long way till happily-ever-after, still, but this feels like a good start – like something permanent.

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><p><strong>AN: So. Um, this is kind of the first decent thing I've written in a month. I just really need Percabeth in my life right now. And if you do, too...please review? :) It'd seriously make my day!**

**And don't favorite/alert without reviewing, please and thank you!  
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	2. reunion i

**And here it is! Part 1 of the reunion we all needed but sadly didn't get in Son of Neptune...Part 2 will be Annabeth's POV, coming up next :D**

**Also, this is first-person POV from Percy, so apologies in advance if I completely messed him up!  
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><p>You know that feeling you get when there are butterflies swarming your stomach, like the whole world is spinning and everyone else just fades into the background because there's only one person in the world that matters to you anymore and they're standing <em>right there<em>?

Yeah, I like to think I'm kind of familiar with that feeling. Mostly because it's about the only thing I can feel right now.

Gods, she's still just as beautiful as I remember…

"Percy," Hazel hisses in my ear. "Aren't you going to say something?"

I try to answer her, only to realize that I can't. The only words that come out sound like gibberish. I can't even _look_ at Hazel; I'm entirely too enraptured by Annabeth, standing right there, just a few feet away from me. All I'd have to do to touch her, hug her, _kiss_ her is move a little forward –

Frank smacks me on the back.

"_Annabeth_."

Her name falls out of my mouth before I can stop it, but it finally brings a smile to her face, so I can't regret saying it. I'd forgotten how radiant she looks when she smiles. Well, not _forgotten_, exactly – but memories can't measure up to the real thing.

"Move it," Hazel huffs, giving me a shove. I stumble forward, and suddenly, she's _right_ in front of me. I mean, there's only a few inches between us, and under any other circumstances, I'd probably steal a kiss. But this isn't just any other circumstances.

She doesn't look like she knows what to say. My heart's pounding in my chest as I wait for her to say something – I _need_ her to say something, preferably something like "Oh, Percy, I missed you so much!" and _not_ "Oh, hi, Percy, I have a new boyfriend now, wanna meet him?", but…

Before I can finish that thought, her hands are fisting in the white fabric of my toga – oh, gods, I'm wearing a _toga_, she is _never_ going to let me live this down – and she's dragging me down towards her until our lips meet and I kind of forget about anything else but the feeling of _Annabeth_ back in my arms.

It's kind of the best feeling in the world, and I don't think I could _ever_ forget that.

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><p><strong>AN: Thank you _so_ much to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate it, and I hope you enjoyed this one as well! :D Please review if you liked this, too? That would make you totally awesome, just so you know :)**

**And don't favorite/alert without reviewing, please and thank you!  
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	3. reunion ii

**Annabeth's POV of the reunion :) Enjoy!**

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><p>Honestly, I'd never had much of a problem with breathing before. It's kind of simple, right? Breathe in, breathe out, repeat until you die. It's not that complicated at all.<p>

Except for now. Except for when I'm _finally_ seeing my Seaweed Brain of a boyfriend again for the first time in nine months and he's wearing a toga and a ridiculous purple cape and he looks so handsome and lovable and _Percy_ that I actually can't _breathe_.

That's not good, is it?

There's no one here to help me, either. Rachel and Clarisse and everyone are still inside the boat, probably arguing strategy while Jason's trying to calm them all down. But even though I probably should have stayed to help them, I couldn't. Not when I saw him.

Oh, dear gods, I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't remember me.

He's just staring at me. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. The girl and boy flanking him seem half-amused, half-exasperated. They don't look like threats – they seem friendly enough. And judging by the looks the girl is giving the boy, I don't really think she's a threat to me.

She says something to Percy, too quietly for me to hear, and then the boy smacks his back. I start wondering what the point of that is – it's not like Percy's moving – when I hear something. Just one word, and just barely, but it reaches my ears.

"_Annabeth_."

It's my name.

And…

It's Percy.

The girl shoves him, and this time, that actually does something. Percy stumbles forward a few feet until he's standing right in front of me. I can't stop myself from drinking in the sight of him, healthy, alive, and so very _Percy_. And alive. That's important.

And he's looking at me like – I don't even know, like I'm the most precious thing in the world and my heart is pounding at triple its normal rate in my chest and it's all I can do to stop from bursting into tears…or kissing him…or punching him in the guts.

Looking back, I'm glad I decided on the second option.

My hands move almost involuntarily, clenching in his toga and hauling him forwards, closer to me, close enough that I can see every speck of blue in his sea-green eyes and I can inhale the scent of seawater and spearmint that never does seem to leave him, close enough that I can –

I can kiss him.

So I do.

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><p><strong>AN: Thanks so much for all your reviews, guys! Hope you liked this one enough to leave me a review, too? :D  
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	4. return

**Sorry for the delay! I kind of forgot about this fic since I got, what, 5 reviews? Whoops :P I do tend to forget to update in that case, sorry!**

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><p>Camp Half-Blood smells like home.<p>

He'd almost forgotten the scent of strawberries and leaves and laughter, but after inhaling it once, it's hard to believe it was ever wiped from his memory. The feeling of finally returning home is one of the best he's ever experienced – second, perhaps, to Annabeth's kisses.

Speaking of Annabeth, where is she?

"Miss it much, Perce?" she asks lightly, adjusting her ponytail as she walks over to his side. A smile appears on her face when she tilts her head to look at him, the smile only he can ever draw out of her, and it sends butterflies storming through his stomach.

"Almost as much as I missed you," he tells her, running his hands down her arms and drawing her closer. As much as he loves the smell of Camp Half-Blood, it's nothing compared to Annabeth's scent of lemon soap and mint tea. Then again, there are few things in his life that can compare to Annabeth.

She snorts, which is not quite the reaction he was going for, but definitely the reaction he expected. "Did you get cheesier over in New Rome, Seaweed Brain?"

"Possibly," he grins, leaning down for a kiss that's been long-awaited the entire journey back to camp.

Before his lips even come into contact with hers, though, someone calls their names. Percy grits his teeth. Not being allowed to kiss his beautiful – and currently laughing, the _traitor_ – girlfriend does _not_ make him happy, especially when the person interrupting is the boy who made Hazel cry herself to sleep once.

"Um," Leo says uncomfortably, skidding to a stop in front of them. "Did I…interrupt something?"

"Not at all." Percy really doesn't mean to sound so sarcastic, but he can't help it – he _really _wants to kiss her and Leo is_ stopping _him.

Leo glances sheepishly at Annabeth, who's at least _trying_ to hide her laughter now. "Sorry. But, uh, Chiron needs you two in the Big House."

Annabeth raises an eyebrow. "Right now?"

"Well, no. In fifteen minutes. He just wanted me to catch you guys before you started making out underwater or something," Leo admits, grinning.

Percy blinks. "You know what? That is not a bad idea."

Leo blanches. "That's not what I meant – it wasn't a suggestion! Hey, wait! Ugh, Chiron's gonna kill me."

"Too late," Percy calls back cheerfully before pulling Annabeth into the lake with him and finally – _finally_ – getting a chance to properly kiss her, even though she's still laughing at him and refuses to stay still so he can put them both in an air bubble.

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><p><strong>AN: If you read this far, please drop me a review? It'd make my day and keep my Percabeth shipper heart intact :D**

**And don't favorite/alert without reviewing, please and thank you.**


	5. remember

**Set sometime before the Argo II arrives and before Percy has regained his memories...I'm not exactly sure where this would fit in the book, but just go with it ;)**

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><p>Why does he still feel like there's something he's forgetting?<p>

Percy groans and sinks back underwater, letting the water of the Tiber flow happily above him while he takes a moment to just think. Because this is seriously becoming a problem – ever since his memories returned fully, all he's wanted to do is _remember_ _the details_.

They've been itching at him because he just _can't_ sort through sixteen years' worth of memories to remember all the details in the span of a day, but he _really_ wants to and damn it all, but he hates Hera for doing this. All he wants to do is _remember_, is that so hard?

He takes a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the river, and calms himself. A random memory floats into his mind, like they so often have ever since he woke up. This time, it's a memory of –

Lava?

Percy blinks in confusion and swims further down the river absentmindedly, curious about what exactly he's trying to remember here. Lava – sea demons – a volcano? And where does that pretty island paradise fit into it all?

A face appears in the memory. Honey-blond curls, stormy grey eyes, hands clutching a Yankees cap – yeah, it's definitely Annabeth. The only problem is, why does she have a look of panic and horror on her face when she's looking at _him_?

Percy concentrates. He knows what happened, doesn't he? He'd gone off to blow up Mount St. Helens after sending Annabeth back to Hephaestus and then he'd ended up on Ogygia with Calypso and then he'd returned in time to crash his own funeral and –

Wait.

He's missing something.

Something important.

Percy sinks even deeper underwater.

The memory flashes by in his mind, quicker than a wink, but it still makes him leap up to the surface, coughing and spluttering in a remarkably undignified manner that is _definitely_ not typical of a son of Poseidon – or Neptune, or whatever.

Annabeth had kissed him for the first time.

Slowly, he drops back underwater with perhaps the goofiest, most lovestruck grin this side of Rome on his face.

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><p><strong>AN: Thank you _so_ much to everyone who reviewed; I really appreciate all your reviews and they totally made my day! :D I hope you liked this one enough to review, as well? Tomorrow's my birthday, if that garners any sympathy... :P**

**And don't favorite/alert without reviewing, please and thank you.  
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	6. all that matters i

**Dedicated to Zen (Renzhie) for her birthday and because she is a totally awesome friend of mine! Happy birthday, Zen! :D **

**Set a bit after the end of SoN.  
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><p>"I have something to show you."<p>

His palms feel oddly sweaty as he looks at Annabeth. It's not even that she's being intimidating at the moment, because all she's doing is relaxing on a sofa, reading a book on architecture, but thinking of what exactly he wants to show her and what her reaction might be makes butterflies spill into his stomach.

"Really?" Annabeth offers him a smile. "What is it?"

Percy swallows and extends a hand. "Come on. It's only, like, a two-minute walk."

Annabeth laughs, bookmarking her page and closing the book. "All right, Seaweed Brain," she says, sounding amused as she takes his hand and lets him help her up. "Why are you acting so weird, though? Are you afraid I'm not going to like it?"

Percy shakes his head. "No, it's not that. I just – I don't know. You'll see."

Her smile fades as she studies him curiously. "Is it something…heavy?" she asks as he leads her out of the room and off the Argo II, straight into the heart of camp Jupiter.

"Heavy?" Percy repeats blankly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Annabeth shrugs. "I don't know. Like, marriage or something."

Percy's positive his face is bright red at the moment.

Annabeth, bless her, notices quickly and squeezes his hand. "I won't be scared if it is, Percy," she assures him. "Trust me, it's fine."

He hesitates, playing with her fingers and marveling at how warm her hands are even though she's been sitting on a ship in the open air all day. "It's not that. I just…don't know how you'll react. And – well, it makes me feel like I don't know you as well as I should."

His last words come out in a garbled mess, but he's pretty sure Annabeth heard it all clearly anyway, judging by the look on her face.

"Don't know me as well as – " Annabeth interrupts herself, shaking her head even as they wander past the Tiber and the temples and the cabins. "Percy, don't be stupid. I know you remember me – "

"Yeah, but…" Percy sighs, running his free hand through his hair, frustrated with himself, with Hera, and with that stupid prophecy that landed them in this mess. "I don't know what you'll do when I do or say something. And – I used to, didn't I? I used to know you so well, and – "

Annabeth stops suddenly and spins to face him, even though they're right in the middle of the campgrounds, uncaring of the strange looks they're receiving from Roman demigods. "Percy," she says softly, bringing up her free hand to cup his face.

"Hm?" Percy finds it hard to breathe when she's touching him so gently, but he tries to focus on the words she's saying instead of on how soft her hand feels against his skin.

"You'll remember," she says with confidence he's not quite sure she feels, but she's _trying_ to feel it, and that's what matters, right? "You _will_. I know you, and you don't give up on what's important – like us. You never have before. And in the grand scheme of things, Percy, what matters is that you _do_ remember, even if just a little bit."

Percy blinks down at her, letting her words sink in. And then before he can fully comprehend what's happening or where they are, his lips are on hers in perhaps the most exhilarating kiss they've shared since she got here and she's melting in his arms and deepening in the kiss, and he thinks he may have forgotten just how _amazing_ being with Annabeth feels.

"Percy," Annabeth laughs when they part enough to take breaths. "Didn't you have something to show me? And – people are staring."

"Mm," Percy says oh-so-eloquently before leaning down to steal another sweet kiss. "It can wait a couple of minutes. And they can just deal with it."

And deal with it, they'll have to, because he isn't really planning on stopping any time soon.

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><p><strong>AN: Sheesh, this got long. That's why it's split into two parts, haha - you'll have to wait a bit to see what, exactly, Percy wanted to show Annabeth, though I'm sure most of you can guess! In the meantime, please do leave me a review to tell me what you thought! :D**

**And don't favorite/alert without reviewing, please and thank you!  
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	7. all that matters ii

**Continuation of last chapter, obviously. Spoilers for Son of Neptune, set after the book ended.**

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><p>"It's a city," she says, her voice a little confused, though she looks impressed with the architecture, at least. "A…city in the middle of their camp?"<p>

Grey eyes turn to him in bewilderment, and Percy blushes red at the thought of what he wants to say, wants to tell her so that she'll understand the importance of this city, but at the same time, _what if she's scared_ and _what if she's not ready_ and _what if she doesn't like it_ and _what if what if what if_?

"They…" Percy has to stop to clear his throat. "People live in that city, Annabeth. People…people like us."

Annabeth tilts her head, considering, and Percy tries to focus on the significance of the city and not on how the sunshine glitters in her blond curls. "You mean demigods? They live here? Not out in the real world with the monsters?"

"Yeah, it's – it's like a safe haven," Percy continues with a bit more energy, "they can live here, go to college, make a living. They're happy here. They don't have to deal with the monsters waiting in the real world. They can – they can – "

Annabeth meets his gaze again, grey into green, but this time she's not confused. This time, he can see she _understands_.

"They can raise a family here," she says slowly, turning back around to watch the people living in the city. Her eyes linger on the parents and the children and the laughter and warmth that permeates the atmosphere. Her eyes soften, more than usual, and Percy feels his heart lift.

"Percy," she breathes, and then she spins around and kisses him.

He decides to take that as a good sign.

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><p><strong>AN: Thank you so much for all your lovely reviews, guys! Your support is so wonderful, I don't even have words I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well! Please review if you did! :)**

**And don't favorite/alert without reviewing, please and thank you.  
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	8. rose bowl

**Set post-SoN, during the reunion that we didn't get to see.**

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><p>"<em>Awww<em>!"

Athena scowls irritably in the direction of the horribly shrill squeal, coming from none other than her least-favorite goddess, naturally. Aphrodite doesn't even notice Athena's annoyance as she claps her hands and beams at the crystal bowl full of clear liquid in front of her, clearly absorbed in whatever she's seeing inside her magic bowl.

"Would you kindly limit the volume of your screams, Aphrodite?" Athena drawls, waving her hand to start weaving a new scarf – Christmas presents, of course, for the gods who were too stupid to read her favorite books.

"Oh, but, Athena, m'dear," Aphrodite looks up, giggling delightedly, with a sparkle in her eyes that Athena doesn't necessarily appreciate, "it's to do with your daughter!"

Athena rolls her eyes. "I have many daughters, and don't call me _m'dear_," she snaps. "Which one is this?"

"Annabeth," Aphrodite drops the name casually, obviously waiting for a reaction, and she gets one. Athena frowns and rises from her throne, discarding the scarf to finish at a later date, and stalks over towards Aphrodite's throne, even though she hates the smell of designer perfume always wafting around the other goddess.

"What about her?" she demands. "Is she hurt? In danger?"

"Nothing of the sort, silly," Aphrodite says airily, offering her the crystal bowl – Athena notices it's shaped like a rose, and she almost wonders just what favors Aphrodite had given her husband in order to bribe him to create a magic rose bowl, but then she realizes she probably doesn't want to know.

"Look at it!" Aphrodite giggles, gesturing to the liquid inside the bowl. "Isn't it _beautiful_?"

Athena glances inside – and immediately regrets it. There, in the bright liquid of the bowl, is an image of her daughter, her precious Annabeth, _kissing_ that idiot son of Poseidon. And _clearly_ enjoying it, judging by the way she's deepening the kiss, which does not please Athena in the least.

"That's disgusting," she tells Aphrodite primly, giving her back that damned bowl. "Never show me anything of that sort again."

Aphrodite rolls her eyes. "Oh, don't be such a party-pooper, Athena! They're in _love_! And after eight long months, they're finally reunited and he actually remembers her! It's all just so romantic, oh, my goodness!" she squeals.

"It's horrendous," Athena sniffs. "_My_ daughter, an intelligent, capable young woman, reduced to kiss that son of a squid – "

"Poseidon's not a squid," Aphrodite reminds her absently. "Now, if you're just going to be a killjoy, you can go back to weaving those scarves of yours that nobody in their right mind would wear on Olympus, lest they be stopped by the fashion police."

"You mean you?" Athena snarks, then turns and storms away before Aphrodite can retort, or, worse, show her another image of her daughter and…_that boy_. If she's forced to watch them cuddle sickeningly on a couch and make googly-eyes at one another, she might just throw Aphrodite off of Mount Olympus herself.

Or incinerate the boy. That would work, too.

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><p><strong>an: this was possibly the most fun to write :P Hope you guys enjoyed it, and thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate it! If you could review this one, too, it'd make my night!**

**And don't favorite/alert without reviewing, please and thank you.  
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	9. oblivious transparency

**Set far in the future, no spoilers :)**

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><p>I'll be honest with you – seeing Annabeth Chase in anything transparent is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime treat. It's like seeing her mother naked, almost. If you do, you'll end up like that one dude, Tire-something – <em>blind<em>. And, with Annabeth, probably dead, too.

Unless you're me.

I don't mean to brag or anything, but, well, I am kind of standing in the middle of our kitchen, looking at my beautiful girlfriend in a white dress which is thoroughly and deliciously soaked and see-through (and, okay, this is sorta my fault, but I'll gladly take credit for it). And she's not pulling out her knife or anything in an attempt to castrate me even though I'm blatantly ogling her, which I'll take as a good sign.

"Seaweed Brain," she finally says, sounding more impatient than annoyed. "Would you dry me already?"

"Dry you?" I blink at her. "Why would I do that?"

"_Percy_," Annabeth laughs, punching me in the shoulder. It doesn't hurt, probably because she's not putting any effort into it – honestly, I don't think she minds my checking her out as much as she pretends to, or at all – but I wince anyway, just for effect. "I'm going to lunch with Rachel in half an hour. Do you really want me to go out there in a transparent white dress, with perverted teenage boys and creepy old men ogling me, hm?"

Well. _No_. I don't want that at all. Still… "You've got half an hour!" I complain, stepping closer and wrapping my arms around her. "That's plenty of time. Why do I have to dry you _now_?"

Annabeth leans into my chest, lifting her hands to her damp blond curls in an attempt to straighten out the tangles. "Percy…" she says slowly, and for the first time, I realize she seems kind of nervous. "Haven't you…aren't you wondering why I'm wearing a dress?"

The thought had occurred to me, I admit. Annabeth doesn't _do_ dresses. And yet here she is, standing in my arms in what is most definitely a dress. A white, currently see-through dress…um. Never mind.

"Sure," I say out loud, gently coaxing her hands out of her hair with my own so I can get to work on her tangles. Funnily enough, I tend to do a better job than she does at combing her hair, not that she'll ever admit it. "Why are you wearing a dress, Wise Girl?"

Annabeth bites her lip, standing very still as I work through a particularly vicious knot. "Percy…it's a maternity dress."

(If anyone ever tells Nico that I fainted, I will feed them to Blackjack.)

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><p><strong>an: sorry, I don't actually know where this idea came from - my twisted imagination, most likely - but I hope you enjoyed it anyway? Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed; I love you all! :D And if you're reading this far, please be kind enough to drop me a review? I'd really appreciate it!**

**and don't favorite/alert without reviewing, please and thank you.**


	10. admirers

**note about the last chapter: guys, the maternity dress was pretty much solely for comedic effect. no need to worry about it ;)**

**This is set after the Heroes of Olympus saga has been completed with, hopefully, a happy ending.**

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><p>He's not jealous. He's not, he's not, he's not.<p>

Percy Jackson doesn't get _jealous_.

Especially not over random blond boys with a ridiculously charming smile aimed right at his girlfriend, who's laughing and why is she laughing, she's not supposed to laugh at some other guy's lame jokes, she's _Annabeth_.

She's _his girlfriend_.

Percy storms forward. How is it that it hasn't even been a day since he saved the world – _again_ – and there are _already_ guys flirting with his girlfriend?

"Annabeth!" he calls as soon as he's within hearing distance, and she turns. The smile on her face remains, but the guy she'd been talking with falters in his grin when he sees him coming towards them. Percy tries not to feel satisfied, but it's hard.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth greets, grinning at him. "Have you met James? He's a kid of Apollo – the Roman Apollo, I mean."

"Is there a difference?" Percy asks, glancing at James and resisting the urge to add _"He's equally annoying in both forms."_

"A bit," James shrugs. "Well, uh, I'll see you guys later. Enjoy the party." And then he disappears into the crowd, leaving Percy alone with Annabeth and feeling extremely self-satisfied. Although, if this whole saving-the-world thing meant people were scared of him, well, that'd be a problem.

"Percy, did you scare him away on purpose?" Annabeth demands, interrupting his musings, but it sounds like she's trying to hold back laughter. "That wasn't very nice."

"Sorry," he says, completely unapologetically, gathering her in his arms and pressing a kiss into her curls. "But he was flirting with you."

Annabeth snorts. "No, he wasn't. You're paranoid."

"I'm not!" Percy insists, blushing. "I just…hey, you look pretty, okay? And you've had quite a few admirers tonight, in case you hadn't noticed."

Annabeth laughs, shoving his chest gently. "Thanks, Seaweed Brain, but seriously now. What do you have to worry about, anyway?"

He flashes her his most charming grin. "Nothing?" he suggests.

"You're horrible," she announces.

"You love me," he counters, and kisses her before she can retort.

(Nobody comes to flirt with her again that night. This may or may not be entirely Percy's fault.)

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><p><strong>a<strong>**/n: thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! if you could review this chapter to let me know what you thought, as well, i'd be super grateful! :)**

**and don't favorite/alert without reviewing, please and thank you.**


	11. relaxation techniques

**Sorry for the long wait! Things have been busy, and I clearly don't have time to devote to all my drabble series, so this'll be the second-to-last chapter.**

**Set some time in the future, when there's not a great prophecy happening.  
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><p>If there's one thing Annabeth Chase does not enjoy, it's being interrupted while she's working, especially on an architecture project.<p>

And Percy _knows_ that.

So why he _insists_ on waltzing into the temple she's building for camp, she really has no idea.

"You know, you normally have better judgment than this," she informs him dryly as he sneaks (or, attempts to sneak, anyway; his attempts to sneak in have gotten progressively less stealthy as the days go on) into the half-completed temple where she's ordering around children of Hephaestus to get everything in its proper place.

"Better judgment than what?" he asks innocently, wrapping his arms around her waist and drawing her close, despite the clipboard she half-heartedly shoves at his chest.

"Than interrupting me while I'm working!" Annabeth says exasperatedly. "No, wait, Dan, that window goes on the _other_ side!" she adds over his shoulder the instant she spots an unlucky demigod headed the wrong direction.

"You mean…helping you relax when you're crazy stressed?" Percy retorts, smoothing her blonde curls away from her face so he can grin properly at her. And probably because he knows it's very hard for her to say no when he aims the full force of his puppy dog eyes on her.

"Don't make it sound smarter than it really is," Annabeth snorts, but she doesn't protest when he leans down to steal a kiss.

Or two. Or three, or four, or enough for her to lose count.

(The temple gets built. _Slowly_, but it gets built.)

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><p><strong>an: thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed this! I really appreciate it, and I'd love it if you could review for this chapter as well :)**

**And don't favorite/alert without reviewing, please and thank you.  
><strong>


	12. finale

**Set after the Heroes of Olympus saga.**

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><p>It's over.<p>

Allegedy, this is _the_ party of Olympus that he's ditching, but Percy can't bring himself to care as he sneaks out of the main palace where everyone is laughing and dancing and drinking to celebrate the saving of the world and finds himself a secluded bench in the shade of a tree to sit.

Because it's over. The war, the battles, the constant death that followed the Argo II like a lost puppy – it's gone, it's over. And maybe now he can have a normal life.

It doesn't take long for Annabeth to find him where he's sitting, alone and quietly breathing the fresh air. She doesn't greet him, but she hardly needs to, not after everything they've been through just last night, let alone during the six years they've known each other.

Instead she sits by his side, her hand curling around his shoulder, squeezing, _gently_. Not many words need to be spoken. It takes him all of ten seconds to find the momentum to lean over and kiss her. She tastes the same, despite the aura of blood and war and death they both carry.

She tastes like melons. Percy doesn't think he's ever known a better sensation than kissing Annabeth.

Maybe now – _finally_ – they can have their happily ever after.

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><p><strong>AN: And this is over, as well. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, I really appreciate it! I'm so glad you guys enjoyed this; thanks for sticking with me throughout! Hope you like this, too, and please review :)**

**And don't favorite without reviewing, please and thank you.  
><strong>


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